Council once again tries to pass budget

Tuesday

Jun 18, 2013 at 10:17 AMJun 18, 2013 at 10:20 AM

The Ridgecrest city council faces a packed agenda for its meeting Wednesday evening at 6 p.m., including a review of the 2012-13 fiscal year budget and the adoption of the FY 2013-14 budget, and a presentation on the Kern Region Energy Action Plan.

By Jack BarnwellSTAFF WRITERjbarnwell@ridgecrestca.com

The Ridgecrest city council faces a packed agenda for its meeting Wednesday evening at 6 p.m., including a review of the 2012-13 fiscal year budget and the adoption of the FY 2013-14 budget, and a presentation on the Kern Region Energy Action Plan.FY 2014 BudgetCouncil will be asked to consider the upcoming year's budget for a second time after failing to pass at its June 5 meeting.The FY 2014 budget has a general fund spending plan of $10.9 million and has projected revenues of $10.96 million.Total numbers for the city's budget — including the Measure L local general sales tax — are $11.45 million in appropriations and $11.56 million in revenue. Approximately $600,000 of that revenue will be transferred to the city's Gas Tax Fund for street-related expenditures, according to Rachelle McQuiston, the finance director.Despite attempts at a consensus to pass the budget, a majority of the council voiced concern that it could not pass the budget on June 5, citing new information and unaddressed issues.All major departments will receive cuts, according to the budget proposal, which includes the Ridgecrest Police Department, and Parks and Recreation.To help compensate for what would otherwise be broad cuts to personnel, RPD has been allocated $1 million in Measure L local general sales tax revenue, which is based on a projected $1.8 million to be received in FY 2014. With this allocation, Ridgecrest will maintain its 31 sworn officer force and will leave an additional two police officer positions unfunded.Parks and Recreation, overall, will receive $1.3 million from the general fund, down $300,000 from the 2013 fiscal year.According to City Manager Dennis Speer during a press review of the agenda Monday, one change to the budget will include a recommendation to cut one Parks and Recreation maintenance position, while transfering another position to the Public Works department. The transfer will be covered under the Measure L tax revenue.Kern Energy Action Plan PresentationCouncil and the public will receive an updated overview of the Kern Council of Government's energy plan, in addition to being presented with a recommendation to approve its own energy plan.The plan's goal is to move the city in a more sustainable, energy-efficient path by 2020, with many benchmarks set for 2015.According to Speer, the city manager, the energy action plan presented at Wednesday's meeting has been something that's been put before past councils.“This provides a work manual with very specific goals and a background of where the city is at in terms of energy conservation,” Speer said. “It identifies specific things we need to monitor and try to control.” Ridgecrest has embarked on its own energy conservation projects over the years, including the implementation of a solar field that provides power to the city hall facilities.Speer said those goals the city has implemented would be considered for the proposed new wastewater treatment plant when plans move forward on its eventual construction.However, Speer said the resolution presented at council wouldn't recommend a partnership with the Kern Energy Action Plan.“We're in agreement that conservation is important and efficiency is important, we're very supportive of their guidelines, but we're accepting it in terms of what it is for guidelines and not taking that additional step accepting a partnership,” Speer said.Consent CalendarCouncil will be asked to consider a number of consent calendar items for blanket approval in one motion, mostly involved with RPD grants and agreements.The agenda items include: • An agreement with Sierra Sands Unified School District to continue a School Resource Officer partnership, with the school district funding 50 percent of the $70,000 cost for the program.• Approval of a $25,596 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to conduct various programs and operations “with a strong emphasis on deterring minor/juvenile access to alcohol.”• Approval of accepting a $99,670 California Office of Traffic Safety to help “provide funding on an overtime basis to employ enforcement and innovative strategies to reduce persons killed and injured in traffic collisions” and will help fund the purchase of a new motorcycle for traffic controls.• Accept a resolution to accept a $36,760 grant to help fund sobriety checkpoints and sobriety patrols for FY 2014.Ridgecrest's regular council meeting begins 6 p.m., Wednesday at City Hall's council chambers at 100 West California Ave.